Contents

Bucyk was born in Edmonton to Sam and Pearl Bucyk, Ukrainian immigrants from the village of Butsiv, in what is now Mostyska Raion, Lviv Oblast, Ukraine.[1] The family was poor, with Pearl working two jobs and his father, Sam, was unemployed for over four years. Sam Bucyk died when Johnny was 10 years old.

Bucyk was a skilled left winger who was (at 6′, 215 lb) the largest of his day. While he never was regarded as the best at his position (being a contemporary of superstars Bobby Hull and Frank Mahovlich), he had a long and stellar career, and retired as the fourth leading point scorer of all time and having played the third most games in history. Despite his reputation for devastating hip checks, he was a notably clean player who won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for sportsmanship in 1971 and 1974.

Bucyk played junior hockey for four seasons for his hometown Edmonton Oil Kings before signing with the Detroit Red Wings in 1955. Two modest years later in 1957, he was traded to the Bruins in a surprising deal for Terry Sawchuk, one of the greatest goaltenders of the day. Bucyk became the top left wing in Boston playing with his Uke Line partners of Vic Stasiuk and Bronco Horvath, who had previously played together in Edmonton. Bucyk established himself as a durable winger who was strong in the corners with consistent scoring numbers.

However, thereafter the team fell on hard times in the sixties, finishing in last place five straight seasons, during which time Bucyk — generally paired with centre Murray Oliver and winger Tommy Williams — led the team in scoring several times. When the Bruins became a powerhouse in the late Sixties, Bucyk — by then the team captain — rose with the pack, with great production including a 51-goal season in the 1970–71 season in his mid-thirties, and helping the Bruins to win two Stanley Cup titles in 1970 and 1972. Bucyk proved particularly effective playing on the left side on Boston's greatly feared power play unit, which featured Phil Esposito, John McKenzie, Bobby Orr and Fred Stanfield.

Bucyk starred into his penultimate season (during which he surrendered his team captaincy, while suffering an injury, to Wayne Cashman), and ended his playing career after the 1978 season, after which the Bruins retired his number #9 jersey. He scored 545 goals as a Bruin, the most in franchise history. Only Ray Bourque has subsequently passed his team mark for points and assists.

Bucyk remains affiliated with the Bruins, serving on various occasions as a broadcaster and in the front office. He is currently the team's director of road services. His name was engraved on the Stanley Cup for a 3rd with the Boston Bruins in 2011, his 53rd consecutive season with the organization.

When the Bruins ended their twenty-nine year championship drought in 1970, Bucyk was given the honour of being the first player of the team to hoist the Stanley Cup around the Boston Garden, since he was the most senior Alternate Captain (the Bruins did not have a regular Captain wearing the "C" during these years).